""Brooke is sick," Dixie blurted out. Edmund's lips pursed together ever so slightly as he asked Dixie about the extent of Brooke's illness. Dixie hadn't anticipated having to give a lengthy explanation---and it showed. She shrugged her shoulders and explained that she wasn't exactly sure how sick Brooke was because she hadn't spoken to her. By now, Edmund was on to Dixie, but it didn't stop him from having a little fun at her expense. He asked Dixie if she was concerned that she might catch whatever had Brooke feeling under the weather. Dixie remarked that she'd gotten all of her shots this year and that she wasn't worried about getting sick. Edmund nodded and said that he, too, had gotten all his shots and decided that it would be safe for him to go upstairs and check on Brooke. Dixie dashed in front of Edmund and told him that he could carry the virus back to his children. She struggled to come up with an excuse that would convince Edmund to go back home. "The truth is, we really don't know what it is," Dixie said of Brooke's virus. She then said that it could be one of those "strange viruses that takes over entire villages." Edmund finally flashed a grinned and told Dixie that he believes she is giving him the "Pigeon Hollow Shuffle." The pair got to talking about their long-time friendship and how they'd both comforted each other when their lovers (Brooke and Tad) had fallen for each other. It was the time when Tad returned to town believing that he was Ted Orsini. Brooke, just off a relationship with Edmund, had fallen hopelessly in love with Tad. Dixie told Edmund that he's always been "good for her soul." The banter failed to make Edmund forget that he still hadn't seen Brooke. Edmund remembered Dimitri saying that he'd spent the night at Brooke's house. It wasn't that far of a leap for him to determine that Dimitri was somehow involved in Brooke's "illness." Edmund asked Dixie to tell him the truth: Had Dimitri ordered her not to let anyone see Brooke. Dixie firmly said, "No." She then caved and told Edmund that Tad was the one who'd given her the instructions. Tad and Dimitri working together? Something didn't seem quite right to Edmund and he headed back to Wildwind to get the full story. "I smell disaster," Dixie said with a sigh, "like fat on a fire."
It was definitely not a regular morning at the Dillon home. Janet found Trevor fussing over which tie he should wear to court. Trevor, poster boy for the loud ties, said that he didn't want the jury to see a "busy" tie and think that he was some kind of eccentric. "Juries love eccentrics," Janet said encouragingly. Tim wandered into the room and announced that Harold wasn't himself. The Dillon family dog wasn't eating his food. Amanda moped into the room and told her parents that she wasn't going to day camp because she was suffering from "that post traumatic disorder thing." And just in case that wasn't enough drama, Belinda burst into the house with a copy of the Bulletin in her hand. Belinda asked Trevor how Brooke was supposed to get a fair trial when the headline of the morning's edition announced that the case was lost before it even began. Janet solved Harold's problem by suggesting that Tim add some cheese to the dog food to break up the monotony of being served the same food day after day. Trevor remained optimistic about the trial and told Belinda that they couldn't let the newspaper dictate their strategy. Amanda was still down in the dumps. She felt that she needed to be punished for running off at Holidays and then nearly getting killed in the explosion. Janet and Trevor, of course, felt that Amanda had already been through enough and didn't think that punishment was the answer. They enlisted Belinda's help to issue a fair and just verdict in the matter. Belinda ruled that Amada had to give her mommy and daddy a big hug and to swear on her "beanie babies" that she'd never wander off again.
Mike Roy was beginning to become more and more of a thorn in Erica's side. He followed Erica into Jack's room, completely disregarding Erica's request for some time alone with Jack. Jack remained fast asleep in his bed, or at least he did not respond to the presence of Erica and Mike's voices. Erica asked Mike to step outside, explaining that Jack would "rather eat glass" than see Mike. Mike claimed that there was no reason for Jack not to like him. According to Mike, all he'd done was to come back to town and "claim" Erica. "Claim?" Erica chirped. "I am not a piece of luggage!" Mike asked Erica to stop "playing both sides of the street" and the come clean to Jack about her feelings for both of them. Erica refused to break the news to Jack at a time when he was fighting for his life. The pair remained by the doorway and bickered for several minutes more before Erica escorted Mike into the waiting room. Jack's eyes opened up and his face flashed an expression showing that his heart had just been broken. Outside, Erica and Mike's voices grew even louder. In fact, there were easily heard inside Jack's room. Erica accused Mike of being afraid that Jack's condition would "tip the scales" towards Jack's side. Mike said that he wasn't worried that Erica would choose Jack over him, but he was concerned that Jack would try to milk his injuries for all they were worth. Erica flagged Jake down as he walked past them. Erica didn't believe Jake when he said that Jack was out of danger. He pointed out that he would never have moved Jack out of the Intensive Care Unit if he were still in critic condition. Quoting advice she'd heard on a talk show, Erica claimed that people who are unable to commit to long-term relationships become spies. Mike rolled his eyes. He didn't want to be the only one who came off looking bad. He stated that Jack was also not suited for a long-term relationship because he could not tolerate imperfection. That, he said, is the reason that Jack walked away from Erica. Erica's mouth gaped. She quickly explained that she had not been dumped---and said that she'd never been dumped. Mike called her bluff, and Erica ultimately admitted that several "misguided men" had "stumbled away" from her---but added that they all came back to her eventually. Erica again asked Mike to allow her a few moments alone with Jack. He nodded his head---and then followed Erica back into Jack's room! Erica leaned over Jack and whispered to him. "It's Erica," she said softly. Jack's eyes fluttered and he looked deep into Erica's eyes. "Erica," he said groggily. "Erica who?"
On the sun porch, Joe, Tad, and Jake's tete-a-tete grew increasingly complex. Joe stated that in order for their plan to work, he'd need to forge test results---and to come up with a body! Not just any body would do for this top-secret plan. Kelsey opened the doors and walked onto the sun porch. She laughed giddily about a call she'd received from Tad telling her that he had a job for her. Kelsey, of course, assumed that she'd been hired as the new weathergirl for WRCW. That wasn't the case. From the somber looks on her relatives' faces, she knew that her job was an "uh oh" job. Jake informed Kelsey that there were in the midst of an emergency family crisis. Joe sighed deeply and said that he hopes that they will not live to regret their decision. Jake escorted Kelsey back to his office so that they could discuss her role in the scheme. Meanwhile, Tad thanked his father for helping him. Joe told Tad that if someone approached him and told him that he'd never be allowed to see his children again, he was sure that he'd go to the same lengths as what Tad was doing. There was one major difference---Tad was asking Joe to put his career on the line. If the plan didn't work, Tad said that Allie would not be the only one on the unemployment line. "If we can't stand together in tough times," Joe replied, "we might as well pack it in."
After his discussion at the hospital, Tad returned to Brooke's house. Dixie told Tad that Edmund had dropped by and that he didn't buy her story that Brooke wasn't feeling well. Dixie wondered what would happen to Tad if his plan didn't work. Tad told Dixie that he was aiding and abetting a fugitive. If he was caught, he'd be sent to prison. He joked that imprisonment would allow him the opportunity to do special editions of The Cutting Edge---live from inside jail! Dixie teased that she was pretty good at baking a cake. Tad smiled and hoped that he wouldn't need Dixie to bake a cake with a file in it. If everything worked out as planned, there'd be nothing to worry about. If it didn't, his entire family could be sent to jail. Even in the face of such a serious situation, Tad found his sense of humor. "Do you think they've got a family package at Attica?" Dixie assured Tad that he was doing the right thing. Tad headed off to start the next phase of his plan. Dixie sat down on the sofa and listened as a call played over Brooke's answering machine. The call was from Belinda, telling Brooke that the judge was demanding that she appear before him immediately.
Dimitri was still in a foul mood. He couldn't help but recalling Brooke's farewell... or the kiss that they shared before she walked out the door. Edmund returned to Wildwind and asked Dimitri if he'd been able to get his hot coffee. Dimitri nodded and asked Edmund where he'd rushed off to. Edmund, sitting down in a chair across from his brother, said that he'd had to run by Brooke's house to run a few ideas by her. Edmund said that the meeting wasn't the most productive meeting he'd had with Brooke, but noted that he and Brooke were able to iron out a few things. Dimitri was stunned. He told Edmund that it was impossible for him to have spoken to Brooke. If Edmund had any doubts about what might be going on, those doubts were now erased. He demanded to know what Dimitri had done with Brooke. Dimitri claimed that he had helped Brooke save her life. "Her life was being sucked away," Dimitri said angrily. He yelled that Brooke does not deserve to spend her life in jail. Edmund, his voice now growing in intensity, might not have had to go to jail if the jury found her not guilty. Now, by fleeing, Brooke was almost certain to do jail time. She could never return to Pine Valley because she'd be apprehended immediately. Edmund called his brother "selfish" for not thinking about the implications that the fugitive life would have on Brooke and Jamie. Dimitri refused to be labeled a selfish man. He said that if he was selfish, he never would have made the sacrifice that he had. Edmund's eyebrows twitched as he asked Dimitri to explain what sacrifice he'd made. "I let her go," Dimitri bellowed. Dimitri said that Brooke was the only woman who was still able to look him in the eyes---and he encouraged her to leave his life. Edmund grabbed Dimitri by the lapels and demanded that he tell him where he'd sent Brooke.
In court, Judge Foster's patience wore thing. He summoned the Keith, Belinda, and Trevor to the front of the courtroom and informed them that unless Brooke showed up within a minute, he'd be forced to issue a warrant for her arrest. Trevor sweated bullets as Keith flashed a slightly puzzled smile. Attention focused on the back of the courtroom and Tad straggled in and announced that he knew where Brooke was."
- Soap Central